Senior Correspondent PJL, Milwaukee WI: We've visited the historic city many times, and always find it welcoming and enjoyable. Consider some suggestions:

We enjoy the small suburb of Haarlem, especially when there’s a town square farmers’ market. In autumn and springtime, we go to the flowery world of the Keukenhof Gardens, about 35 minutes from the city center. Amsterdam's Artis Zoo is a fantastic place for kids and adults. To enhance the experience, ride the Artis Zoo Express canal boat that takes travelers directly to the zoo from Amsterdam Central Station.

Amsterdam is a canal city, and the buildings and architecture were designed to be seen from the water. A canal tour emphasizes the beauty of the old city. Tours also visit the windmills and modern harbor, which shows how the city and country earn revenue today.

NEMO is the Netherlands' largest science center and a fun place. It's a huge green building built above a large highway tunnel. It's an easy, 15-minute walk from Amsterdam Central Station.

A great Amsterdam dining experience is The Pancake Bakery, with a huge menu filled with both sweet and savory pancakes. There are also international and more dinner-like selections with toppings similar to a pizza restaurant.

Amsterdam is a biking city, and with the tiny roads and canals, most citizens use bikes to get to work and shop. Aside from regular bikes, we've rented Hybrid/ATB bikes with small electric motors to make it easy. Basic bikes are about $10 per day, and powered bikes $25. We've used Rent A Bike, with a convenient location near Central Station. They will also deliver to your hotel for free.